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This case study documents the activities implemented under the
Weed and Seed program in Manatee and Sarasota Counties in
Florida, one of eight sites for the National Evaluation of Weed
and Seed, and assesses the program's impact at this site.

Abstract:

Unveiled in 1991, Operation Weed and Seed is an attempt to
improve the quality of life in America's cities. The ultimate
goals of Weed and Seed are to control violent crime, drug
trafficking, and drug-related crime in targeted high-crime
neighborhoods and to provide a safe environment free of crime and
drug use. The program is grounded in the philosophy that targeted
areas can best be improved by a two-pronged strategy of "weeding"
out violent offenders, drug traffickers, and other criminals by
removing them from the targeted area and "seeding" the area with
human services and neighborhood revitalization efforts. Community
policing is intended to be the "bridge" between "weeding" and
"seeding." The evaluation activities undertaken for this case
study included onsite observation of program activities;
in-person interviews with program staff, key law enforcement
personnel, community leaders, service providers, and
participants; review of program documents; a survey of target
area residents; and analysis of computerized crime and arrest
records provided by the local police department. The evaluation
examined crime trends in only two of the six target areas (North
and South Manatee County). Evaluation findings show that crime
was already trending downward and had stabilized in both target
areas prior to Weed and Seed, following an intensive police
crackdown. Since the official implementation of Weed and Seed in
October 1994, Part 1 crimes resumed a downward trend in North
Manatee, declining an average of 10.6 percent in the first year
and 8.2 percent in the second year. In the South
Manatee target area, however, Part 1 crimes increased by an
average of 6 percent in the first year and then
declined 3.9 percent in the second year. Findings of
the community survey focus on perceptions of the neighborhood,
victimization, police response, community involvement,
perceptions of social services and other programs, and
perceptions of the Weed and Seed program. Future directions and
degree of institutionalization are also discussed. 16 exhibits

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